A guilty verdict in the “American Sniper” trial. ISIS kidnaps scores of Christians. And winter wallops the nation (again).
It’s Wednesday, and here are the 5 things to know for your New Day.
‘AMERICAN SNIPER’ VERDICT
Guilty: Eddie Ray Routh was found guilty last night in the 2013 shooting deaths of two men, including “American Sniper” Chris Kyle. Routh’s attorneys said he was insane, but the Texas jury didn’t buy it (they deliberated less than three hours). The judge immediately sentenced him to life in prison with no chance at parole. The mother of Chad Littlefield, the other victim, said after waiting two years for justice, the family was “thrilled” with the verdict.
ISIS
Kidnapped: Every day seems to bring another ISIS atrocity. This time the militants are suspected in the kidnapping of nearly 100 Christians from villages in northeastern Syria. The Islamist extremists reportedly abducted scores of victims — mostly women, children and the elderly. Hundreds more were forced to run for their lives. This is not ISIS’ first attack on Christians. Earlier this month, the militants released a video showing the beheadings of more than a dozen Egyptian Christian men in Libya.
DOG FOOD LAWSUIT
Sued: Dry dog food produced by Purina makes dogs very sick and, in some cases, kills them. That’s the allegation made in a lawsuit against Purina’s Beneful line of dog food. The California man who brought the suit said one of his dogs died and two others became ill after eating Beneful. Thousands of people have complained online about dogs getting sick after eating the dog food, the suit claims. Purina said the “lawsuit is baseless” and blames social media for fanning the flames of misinformation about Beneful.
KEYSTONE PIPELINE
Vetoed: President Obama found his veto pen (he hadn’t used it in five years) and rejected a bill that would have allowed construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The President said he opposed the bill because it would have hijacked his authority to approve or deny the creation of the controversial pipeline. Republicans, who say the proposed pipeline would create American jobs, have promised to try to override Obama’s veto, but that’s doomed to fail. More vetoes are coming: Obama has threatened to kick back 13 pieces of GOP-sponsored legislation.
WINTER WEATHER
Walloped: Winter fully turns its attention to the South (and away from Boston, at least for awhile) for the next few days as the region is poised to get hit with a wicked wintry mix in a band stretching from the lower Mississippi Valley to southern Virginia. Oh, and just so they won’t feel left out, the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains will absorb a blast of Arctic air that will drop temperatures 30 degrees below average by Friday. But not everyone is shivering in the cold. The high in Orlando Wednesday will be 76 degrees. Just saying…